Katschberg Pass
Encyclopedia
Katschberg Pass is a high mountain pass
in the Central Eastern Alps
in Austria
between Rennweg am Katschberg
in the state
of Carinthia
and Sankt Michael im Lungau
in Salzburg
.
It connects the Carinthian Katsch Valley in the south with the historic Lungau region of Salzburg (present-day Tamsweg
district) and the Mur river in the north, from where the road leads further on to the Radstädter Tauern Pass
. The Katschberg also separates the Hohe Tauern
range in the west from the Nock Mountains in the east.
Though the pass was probably already known to the Celtic Taurisci
and later was part of a Roman Road
from Teurnia
to Iuvavum
(Salzburg), it was first mentioned in a 1459 deed, then at the border between the Duchy of Carinthia
and the Archbishopric of Salzburg
. Mail was first sent over the pass in 1764. In 1929, the first restaurant was opened which later became a four-star hotel. In 1957, Matthias Bogensperger built the first ski lift on the Tschaneck mountain. It became one of the largest private ski resort
s, with 10 lifts by 1997. Today, the Katschberg-Aineck area counts 16 lifts and 60 km (37.3 mi) of trails stretching from the Tschaneck to the Aineck mountain and beyond the crest to Sankt Margarethen im Lungau
.
Parallel to the Katschbergstraße (B 99), which is now a regional highway, since 1974 the Tauern Autobahn
crosses the chain through the 5898 m (19,350.4 ft) long Katschberg Tunnel.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Central Eastern Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
between Rennweg am Katschberg
Rennweg am Katschberg
Rennweg am Katschberg is a market town in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, Austria. It consists of the Katastralgemeinden Rennweg, St. Peter and Oberdorf.- Geography :...
in the state
States of Austria
Austria is a federal republic made up of nine states, known in German as Länder . Since Land is also the German word for a country, the term Bundesländer is often used instead to avoid ambiguity. The Constitution of Austria uses both terms...
of Carinthia
Carinthia (state)
Carinthia is the southernmost Austrian state or Land. Situated within the Eastern Alps it is chiefly noted for its mountains and lakes.The main language is German. Its regional dialects belong to the Southern Austro-Bavarian group...
and Sankt Michael im Lungau
Sankt Michael im Lungau
Sankt Michael im Lungau is a market town on the upper Mur River in the Tamsweg district in the Austrian state of Salzburg.-History:The parish church dedicated to Saint Michael was first mentioned in 1147...
in Salzburg
Salzburg (state)
Salzburg is a state or Land of Austria with an area of 7,156 km2, located adjacent to the German border. It is also known as Salzburgerland, to distinguish it from its capital city, also named Salzburg...
.
It connects the Carinthian Katsch Valley in the south with the historic Lungau region of Salzburg (present-day Tamsweg
Tamsweg
Tamsweg is a market town in the Austrian state of Salzburg near the border with Styria. It is the administrative centre of the eponymous district and the largest town of the Lungau region...
district) and the Mur river in the north, from where the road leads further on to the Radstädter Tauern Pass
Radstädter Tauern Pass
Radstädter Tauern Pass is a high mountain pass in the Radstädter Tauern which are in the Niedere Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps in Austria between Radstadt and Mauterndorf in the state of Salzburg....
. The Katschberg also separates the Hohe Tauern
Hohe Tauern
The Hohe Tauern or High Tauern are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian state of Salzburg with Carinthia and East Tyrol, while a small part in the southwest belongs...
range in the west from the Nock Mountains in the east.
Though the pass was probably already known to the Celtic Taurisci
Taurisci
The Taurisci were a federation of Celtic tribes who dwelt in today's northern Slovenia before the coming of the Romans According to Pliny the Elder, they are the same people known as the Norici...
and later was part of a Roman Road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
from Teurnia
Teurnia
Municipium Teurnia was a Roman city in western Carinthia. In late antiquity it was also a bishop's see, and towards the end of Roman times it was mentioned as the capital of the province of Noricum mediterraneum...
to Iuvavum
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
(Salzburg), it was first mentioned in a 1459 deed, then at the border between the Duchy of Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
and the Archbishopric of Salzburg
Archbishopric of Salzburg
The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg....
. Mail was first sent over the pass in 1764. In 1929, the first restaurant was opened which later became a four-star hotel. In 1957, Matthias Bogensperger built the first ski lift on the Tschaneck mountain. It became one of the largest private ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s, with 10 lifts by 1997. Today, the Katschberg-Aineck area counts 16 lifts and 60 km (37.3 mi) of trails stretching from the Tschaneck to the Aineck mountain and beyond the crest to Sankt Margarethen im Lungau
Sankt Margarethen im Lungau
Sankt Margarethen im Lungau is a municipality in the district of Tamsweg in the state of Salzburg in Austria....
.
Parallel to the Katschbergstraße (B 99), which is now a regional highway, since 1974 the Tauern Autobahn
Tauern Autobahn
The Tauern Autobahn is an autobahn in Austria. It starts at the Salzburg junction with the Westautobahn , runs southwards, crosses the Tauern mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps and leads to the Süd Autobahn and Karawanken Autobahn at Villach in Carinthia...
crosses the chain through the 5898 m (19,350.4 ft) long Katschberg Tunnel.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes